This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Internal combustion engines are lubricated using oil that is collected in an oil pan in the bottom of the crankcase of the internal combustion engine. The oil pan serves as an oil reservoir where the lubrication oil accumulates. Some engines are provided with an oil cooler in order to cool the oil. The oil is withdrawn from the oil pan, runs through the oil pump oil cooler and the cooled oil is then sent through the engine lubrication system and is then returned to the oil pan. Although oil cooled engines are common, it is also common to have engines with no oil cooler. Typically, an engine having an oil cooler has to have a specially designed oil pan in order to port the oil from the engine to a remote oil cooler and back again. Accordingly, engines utilizing an oil cooler have one oil pan design while engines without an oil cooler have a different oil pan design.
The present disclosure provides an oil pan design that can share an oil pan casting tool, and that can be machined and fitted differently to serve in both engine oil cooled and non-oil cooled vehicle applications.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a universal oil pan die tooling is provided for forming alternative oil pans for alternative internal combustion engines with and without an oil cooler circuit. The die tooling includes a first die member defining a cavity and a second die member having a protruding portion designed to be inserted into the cavity of the first die member to define a mold cavity therebetween that defines a shape of the oil pan. A first die insert is used along with the first die member and the second die member to form oil pans for use with an engine having an oil cooler. An alternative second die insert is used in place of the first die insert along with the first die member and the second die member to form oil pans for use with an engine without and oil cooler.
According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, the universal oil pan design is provided for use with an internal combustion engine and includes a bottom wall, a sidewall extending from a periphery of the bottom wall and the bottom wall and the sidewall each including an interior surface to define an internal cavity. The top edge of the sidewall defines a mounting flange. A plurality of mounting apertures extend through the mounting flange. First and second bosses are disposed in the outer surface of the oil pan. The first and second bosses are optionally provided with oil cooler supply and return ports therethrough, respectively for connection to an oil cooler for use with an engine having an oil cooler. The oil cooler supply port is in communication with a first recess region in the interior of the oil pan and has an opening extending through the oil pan adjacent to an oil filter fitting. The oil cooler return port is in communication with a second recessregion in the interior of the oil pan. The first and second bosses can remain closed for use with an engine having no oil cooler.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.